India will introduce SIM-binding requirements for messaging platforms from January 1, 2027, requiring accounts to remain linked to the active SIM card used during registration. The rules cover WhatsApp, Telegram, Signal, Snapchat, Arattai, ShareChat, Josh and JioChat, among other platforms.
The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has directed these services to comply by December 31, 2026, under the Telecom Cyber Security Rules. The measure aims to curb cyber fraud involving Indian mobile numbers, including impersonation scams.
Currently, users can continue accessing messaging accounts even after removing or disabling the SIM used for initial verification. Under the new requirements, platforms must ensure that the registered SIM remains active and installed in the device used to access the account.
The change could affect people who use messaging apps over Wi-Fi without their registered SIM, access accounts across multiple devices, frequently change SIM cards or travel internationally. Users of Wi-Fi-only tablets could also face difficulties, depending on how individual platforms implement the requirements.
WhatsApp, which has an estimated 500 million users in India, has reportedly begun beta-testing SIM-binding on Android. The precise impact on users will depend on the implementation adopted by each platform.
The Ministry of Communications said cybercriminals have exploited gaps in existing verification systems to conduct digital fraud. Losses from cyber fraud exceeded ₹22,800 crore in the previous year, according to the report.
The revised directive has also dropped an earlier proposal requiring automatic logout of web sessions every six hours, replacing it with risk-based logouts. Non-compliant platforms could face action under the Telecommunications Act, 2023, and related rules. The DoT is also planning a Mobile Number Verification (MNV) platform to help verify legitimate phone numbers.
However, the government has clarified that messaging accounts will not automatically stop working on the compliance deadline. Enforcement will depend on platforms’ readiness to implement the requirements.
Source: Deccan Herald
